Patchin' Up Around The Seams
by 88silverkeys
Summary: Ten snippets of Leroy Jethro Gibbs navigating the conundrum of Tony DiNozzo and considering the very small chance of getting the only thing he wants.  maybe unreq  SLASH Gibbs/DiNozzo


**Challenge**:  
1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.  
2. Turn your music player on and turn it on random/shuffle.  
3. Write a drabble/ficlet related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it's over. No lingering afterwards!  
4. Do ten of these, then post them.

NCIS. Gibbs/Tony. Gibbs POV.

**Do Wah Doo, Kate Nash (2:33)**

Gibbs couldn't help at staring at Tony when he got on the plane. The case caught them by surprise—granted they were the team on call—but apparently Tony spent his on-call time wearing very tight clothes.

Kate laughed out loud. "Wow, if I wore that I'd be called a prostitute."

Tony defensively held up the bag of clothes to change into. "Well, I'm not you Kate. So I'd prefer the term man whore. I had a great lay all set up. I don't know what happened at Camp David, but someone there better be hot and easy."

Gibbs bit back the comment, the kind he always bit back. He didn't care, he could occupy himself with someone else other than Tony. He was just worried for him, that was all. There were crazy people in the clubs…Tony would be much safer in bed with him. Not like he wanted him there…But Gibbs was used to pretending he didn't care.

**Cover Me, Mae (4:34)**

The grass was always greener on the other side. Gibbs didn't realize how lucky he was that he could hide it. Looking down at the marine with "FAG!" spray painted on his face, he was lucky he could successfully hide behind bisexuality and not be turned a victim of the hate. He spent so much time hating how he couldn't turn off his interest in his coworker, who was currently bending over evidence in the alley, that he hadn't thought about those guys that couldn't force themselves to even hide behind wives.

But Gibbs was reaching the point, he knew, where he couldn't hide it. No one came close. Tony was doing everything right in his book. Looking damn good doing it. And his stories were just making Gibbs more jealous. But if this was the result of acting on it—a 2x4 to the head—then Gibbs was in serious trouble.

**Fifteen, Taylor Swift (4:54)**

Gibbs lay in bed. Alone. Thinking about Tony. It was officially his pattern. He knew he shouldn't even try anything like this, he'd gotten burned on this guy stuff before. Years before the Marines.

There had been a boy in the town growing up, a year older than Gibbs. Matthew was attractive, funny, smart. And when the guys had all gotten drunk together and he pulled Gibbs farther into the woods…Gibbs just followed the cool kid.

When Gibbs found himself against a tree, a hard body pushing against his something lit up inside him. He hadn't thought of this before, had he? He didn't think about guys like that…but Matthew was doing a fantastic job of kissing him senseless.

And when they were sober, Gibbs continued to let this guy do everything do him—because he said he cared and it felt good. But he graduated and left Gibbs in a small town that hated people like them. And left Gibbs rethinking himself and hating what he figured out.

**(I've Got) Something To Live For, Ella Fitzgerald (3:38)**

Gibbs loved his job and his coworkers. Especially one of them. The bullet hadn't hit him, but the tire iron the killer used on him hit some ribs the wrong way. So he laid in the hospital hating the job that put him here. And the coworkers who hadn't had any superpowers to simultaneously prevent the hit to their boss and get the other 4 bad guys in the cuffs.

Gibbs stared at the team picture Abby had put in his room. Stared at Tony. He wanted something to look forward to when he got out of the hospital, someone at home. Something a little more than a great job to live for. He wanted something like Tony. So he promised himself, right there with all the machines whirling and beeping to let him know he was alive, that getting out of here meant growing a pair and actually trying to be alive.

**Points of Authority/One Step Closer/99 Problems, Jay-Z and Linkin Park (4:56)**

Tony shook his head as he wrote up the report. It was well past the end of the work day, but Gibbs demanded the reports be written that night. Only he and Tony were left. Damn Tim and his speedy typing.  
"Women like Mrs. Donavan are the reason I will never get married." Tony shook his head wistfully. "Too many crazies out there, Gibbs, I'll tell ya. Of course, I really don't need to tell you."

"You'll never get married ever then, DiNozzo? Don't you think chasing skirt will get a little sad by a certain age?" Gibbs wasn't sure which prospect he hated more: DiNozzo having hundreds of girls without emotion or falling in love with one.

"Oh, come on. Boss, I thought you figured it out by now."

"What's that?" Gibbs knew his face showed his genuine surprise.

"I've slowed down all that. I just talk now, annoying Kate. I'll probably settle eventually, can't seem to find anyone I like for more than 2 months though."

"Oh." Gibbs tried to process that…Tony wasn't sleeping around. Tony had fooled him. "I hope you find someone you can stand for much longer."

Gibbs must have imagined it, couldn't be real. Because Tony looked just a bit disappointed before flashing the smile at his boss. "Thanks, I'm sure she's out there."

**Time to Pretend, MGMT (4:21)**

Gibbs hated stakeouts with Tony. He hated being shown what he couldn't have. But cocaine dealers weren't going to turn themselves in.

So when they caught the guys early in the night and were into the parking garage on their ways home by 3AM Gibbs considered it a blessing.

"See you tomorrow, boss! Glad these two went quietly, for your ribs' sake." Tony turned and unlocked his car. But Gibbs made a swift turn away from his car and towards his employee. The comment about the incident with the hospital 9 months ago reminded him of the promise to himself.

"Tony." He called shortly, hardly able to breath. He stopped in front of Tony as the other man turned around, far too close he realized.

"Boss?" Tony looked confused, his eyes only having to drop an inch to meet Gibbs'.

"Take…take care of yourself." Gibbs turned his back and headed towards his car. It was infinitely safer to pretend—to hell with his heart.

**How Long Has This Been Going On?, Ella Fitzgerald (3:48)**

Gibbs paced in the cold outside Tony's apartment. He'd promised himself, backed out at least twice, but now it was ridiculous. He had to act. Ringing the doorbell, he steeled himself the worst. And that's what he got.

Tony opened the door, completely embarrassed to see Gibbs. It was obvious why. He was only wearing boxers and the dress shirt from work—unbuttoned—with fresh hickeys covering his upper chest. "Boss! Do we…we aren't on call, what happened?"

"Just…wanted to…to see if you wanted to show me one of those stupid movies." Gibbs felt the lump in his throat, his face burning, backing up, trying to pretend he hadn't tried to do this.

But the sight of Ziva peering around the corner undid him. Gibbs' eyes widened and he let the anger cover the hurt. "What the _fuck_ are you doing here?"

Ziva looked comically afraid and came around the corner, her hands in the air. "Gibbs, we promise. This is not what it looks like."

Gibbs was already gone.

**I Saw The Sign, Ace of Base (3:21)**

Gibbs didn't understand why he got the drunk call from Tony. Why he agreed to pick his employee up from a seedy bar on a Saturday night. He was surprised by the amount of same-sex couples in the establishment. Was Tony…? Was he questioning? Could his boss perhaps help him figure it out?

As he dropped Tony off, he couldn't resist asking. The man was drunk, most likely to be honest. "Hey, Tony?"

"Yes, bossman, sir!" Tony laughed and slurred as he tripped over his feet. Gibbs moved to grab his arm and keep his balance. They were impossibly close. Maybe now, maybe he should finally follow through on his promise to himself.

He gently brushed the sweat-soaked hair on Tony's forehead out of his face. "Why were you at a club with so many gay guys?"

Tony, for his part, blushed slightly. "Oh, Abby. She's been trying to trick me. Says girls love gay guys…thought I'd try it. No luck." He sighed dramatically. "Apparently they don't appreciate 'using the gay culture for our own gain'."

Gibbs ignored the voice in his head, mocking him for even thinking it could mean something. He saw what he had wanted to see.

**Everybody Wants You, Billy Squier (3:48)**

"My God, DiNozzo. Don't you get tired of flirting like that?" Gibbs had just witnessed another one of Tony's scenes with a new agent—who played along until she had to step off the elevator.

Tony shook his head and sighed. "Gibbs, it is my duty to women. They want me."

"_Everybody _wants you." Gibbs couldn't stop himself from correcting Tony. He held his breath.

Tony showed a flash of surprise then recovered. "Aw, thanks, boss. You too?"

"I think Ziva has the coworker angle covered." They reached the ground floor and started heading to their cars.

"Gibbs, I told you. She was comforting me after I crashed and burned with someone at a club. She'd been at the same club and taken pity on me. Nothing happened. We work together, I know the rules. And for all my flirting, if I was ever going to break the rules—it would be with someone else."

"Who?" Gibbs demanded a little too harshly, he knew.

Tony got into his car and started the engine. He rolled the window down and grinned. "Like you said boss, I have _everybody _to choose from."

**Crazy, Gnarls Barkley (2:58)**

When Gibbs finally got what he wanted. When Tony finally kissed him, he didn't remember it. Abby told him later that Tony had included the CPR in his rant about how stupid Gibbs was for going after Maddie.

He didn't want to think about it, but the son of a bitch had come into his hospital room.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" Gibbs muttered, glancing at the stupid teddy bear Tony held.

Tony gave an insincere grin. "You're welcome for saving your life."

"You didn't have to kiss me." Gibbs grumbled, upset that the whole thing had happened without him really being there.

"I wanted to."

Gibbs glanced up and they both looked shocked by what Tony said.

"I mean, I wanted to save you. Boss, you need to be alive, despite all your crazy stunts. And if I had to—to kiss you or whatever…so be it."

Gibbs felt his heartbeat pick up; he just knew he was going to do something stupid his brain hadn't agreed to. "Well, next time, I'll buy you dinner first."

Tony smirked. "You can buy me a dinner as a thank-you. And for the record, don't be so crazy next time: you want to do something that badly, tell me and I'll help you do it."

Gibbs nodded absently. Dinner with DiNozzo and a promise to help Gibbs with the next crazy stunt. Poor bastard didn't have a clue the next stunt involved him.

**A/N: As part of my ongoing project to not suck, I've attempted the POV of Gibbs—not my strong suit. But it is required for a challenge for Bob Rhynoplasty, so please review and help me improve. I know the boys didn't end up together, I'm sure I'll write another of this variety where they do because I love this challenge so much. I don't know if this is Tiva…I guess the readers know as much as Gibbs does about that. Please critique and tell me your favorite number! **


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